diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2201569..5b6df04 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,17 +28,18 @@ $ ws --config
 $ ws --help
 
 Server
--p, --port <number>         Web server port
--f, --log-format <string>   If a format is supplied an access log is written to stdout. If not,
-                            a statistics view is displayed. Format options: 'none', 'dev',
-                            'default', 'short', 'tiny' or 'logstalgia'.
--d, --directory <string>    Root directory, defaults to the current directory
--c, --compress              Enables compression
--r, --refreshRate <number>  Statistics view refresh rate in ms. Defaults to 500.
+-p, --port <number>          Web server port
+-f, --log-format <string>    If a format is supplied an access log is written to stdout. If not,
+                             a statistics view is displayed. Use a preset ('none', 'dev',
+                             'default', 'short', 'tiny' or 'logstalgia') or supply a custom format
+                             (e.g. ':method -> :url').
+-d, --directory <string>     Root directory, defaults to the current directory
+-c, --compress               Enables compression
+-r, --refresh-rate <number>  Statistics view refresh rate in ms. Defaults to 500.
 
 Misc
--h, --help                  Print these usage instructions
---config                    Print the stored config
+-h, --help                   Print these usage instructions
+--config                     Print the stored config
 ```
 
 From the folder you wish to serve, run:
@@ -59,14 +60,27 @@ $ ws --port 9000
 serving at http://localhost:9000
 ```
 
-Use a built-in or custom [Connect logger format](http://www.senchalabs.org/connect/logger.html) with `--log-format`:
+To add compression, reducing bandwidth, increasing page load time (by 10-15% on my Macbook Air)
+```sh
+$ ws --compress
+```
+
+###Logging
+Passing a value to `--log-format` will write an access log to `stdout`.
+
+Either use a built-in [morgan](https://github.com/expressjs/morgan) logger preset:
 ```sh
 $ ws --log-format short
 ```
 
-To add compression, reducing bandwidth, increasing page load time (by 10-15% on my Macbook Air)
+Or a custom [morgan](https://github.com/expressjs/morgan) log format:
 ```sh
-$ ws --compress
+$ ws -f ':method -> :url'
+```
+
+Or silence: 
+```sh
+$ ws -f none
 ```
 
 Storing default options
@@ -93,7 +107,8 @@ Or in a `.local-web-server.json` file stored in the directory you want to serve
 Or store global defaults in a `.local-web-server.json` file in your home directory.
 ```json
 {
-  "port": 3000
+  "port": 3000,
+  "refresh-rate": 1000
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/bin/ws.js b/bin/ws.js
index a0e6f28..0fb6fd6 100755
--- a/bin/ws.js
+++ b/bin/ws.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ var dope = require("console-dope"),
     http = require("http"),
     cliArgs = require("command-line-args"),
     o = require("object-tools"),
+    t = require("typical"),
     path = require("path"),
     loadConfig = require("config-master"),
     homePath = require("home-path"),
@@ -46,12 +47,18 @@ var storedConfig = loadConfig(
 var builtInDefaults = {
     port: 8000,
     directory: process.cwd(),
-    refreshRate: 500
+    "refresh-rate": 500
 };
 
 /* override built-in defaults with stored config and then command line args */
 argv.Server = o.extend(builtInDefaults, storedConfig, argv.Server);
 
+/* user input validation */
+var logFormat = argv.Server["log-format"];
+if (!t.isNumber(argv.Server.port)) {
+    halt("please supply a numeric port value");
+}
+
 if (argv.Misc.config){
     dope.log("Stored config: ");
     dope.log(storedConfig);
@@ -76,7 +83,6 @@ if (argv.Misc.config){
     });
 
     /* log using --log-format (if supplied) */
-    var logFormat = argv.Server["log-format"];
     if(logFormat) {
         if (logFormat === "none"){
             // do nothing, no logging required
@@ -98,7 +104,7 @@ if (argv.Misc.config){
     into `log-stats`, which prints statistics to the console */
     } else {
         dope.hideCursor();
-        app.use(morgan({ stream: logStats({ refreshRate: argv.Server.refreshRate }) }));
+        app.use(morgan({ stream: logStats({ refreshRate: argv.Server["refresh-rate"] }) }));
     }
 
     /* --compress enables compression */
diff --git a/lib/cli-options.js b/lib/cli-options.js
index 36a0be9..36e9d0b 100644
--- a/lib/cli-options.js
+++ b/lib/cli-options.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ module.exports = [
             },
             {
                 name: "log-format", alias: "f", type: String,
-                description: "If a format is supplied an access log is written to stdout. If not, \na statistics view is displayed. Format options: 'none', 'dev',\n'default', 'short', 'tiny' or 'logstalgia'."
+                description: "If a format is supplied an access log is written to stdout. If not, \na statistics view is displayed. Use a preset ('none', 'dev',\n'default', 'short', 'tiny' or 'logstalgia') or supply a custom format\n(e.g. ':method -> :url')."
             },
             {
                 name: "directory", alias: "d", type: String,
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ module.exports = [
                 description: "Enables compression"
             },
             {
-                name: "refreshRate", alias: "r", type: Number,
+                name: "refresh-rate", alias: "r", type: Number,
                 description: "Statistics view refresh rate in ms. Defaults to 500."
             }
         ]
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9d75d30..c89a0d0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     "object-tools": "^1.0.3",
     "serve-index": "^1.0.2",
     "serve-static": "^1.2.2",
-    "stream-log-stats": "^0.1.0"
+    "stream-log-stats": "^0.1.0",
+    "typical": "^1.0.0"
   }
 }